starchamberexpereience: July 2012

Dell's first formation at Hargrave Military Academy Summer School

Functional chaos. Living the now. A perfect descriptor eludes me. From the chilly May afternoons through the final Saturday in July, four family hums with Southampton Recreation Association. The swim team, the snack bar, the parties, the friends, the lounging, the people all exist on a small plot of Eden in Richmond City. Cue the theme to Cheers. Sometime around the end of June dinner morphs into cereal and PBJs. Planning enough sunscreen and drinks for the day are enough.

Blessed are those who know the magic. The formulary is simple and complex. And not for me decipher having given Clan Hudgins the biggest gift the past two summers of just being SRA.

Milo, Porter's big buddy at SRA

In the past 69 days, I got away for a Kenyon weekend in Philly; William traveled ceaselessly; Houlder completed two summer school classes at Collegiate; Dell went on a service trip to DC with Collegiate, toured Georgia and Alabama on youth choir trip, and took a month of summer school at Hargrave Military Academy; Frazer frazzed; and Porter flourished, swam and became a pop music enthusiast.

Day 1 was the return from Mayo by Houlder, Frazer and me. Other than a few things, we managed without the doctors the last 69 days. It has been nice. Today is Day 69, and Frazer and I head back to Mayo.

So much has happened and being in summer mode helps me process the continual flux of living with 4 boys and their charms. When we live SRA, it is easy to embrace all that is good and working and right with us and leave behind the struggles.

As I woke up today on Will's 43 birthday to the alarm, I realized that the "Last Dance" last night with my "Champions" will have to sustain for a while. Will left at 5:40am to drive 3 hours to collect Dell. The three boys are sleeping. I have laundry and things to collect before we fly out in a few hours to our Minnesota mecca.

Frazer doing a little reading

Houlder swam two events at champs. He finished both classes at Collegiate and has been driving Will's Passat. For him, this is pretty great. The good news is the pain treatment program at Mayo really taught him how to deal with his POTS symptoms. The stinky part is that the headache has not gone away yet. The one from January 2011. For now, we are grabbing onto what is working. Hopefully his supreme inner strength may allow him to cope and succeed with his junior year. More treatment portently looms.

The medical condition of Chiari that both Houlder and Frazer have is significant. I attended a medical conference on it and its related conditions. The neurologic, genetic and embryologic frontiers are only beginning to understand to understand the what and why chiari is. How to treat chiari is at best a wish, a prayer and great surgeon. Unlike cancer, organ transplants, or multiple fractures, chiari is puzzles. As one suregeon said, "You either make room for it by cutting the bone, or you cut the brain." There is treatment of symptoms -- like never-ending headache -- but given what is involved we hold out hope.

Houlder Champs 2012 Silver 100IM R and 5th 100M Breast

Porter's first grade class and Carrie Thomas and Clara Petus -- best teachers!

Frazer has started taking daily growth hormone injections and thought he grew the first night. Not much to report other than he is a great kid. He had some more educational testing and our homeschooling is more than paying off. He is on grade in everything and age appropriate which has been a huge sign of his learning. There is much to still medically suss out with the Fraz. He is an easy kid to love -- not so easy to keep on task -- but enjoys himself almost all of the time.

Dell's academic life will hopefully begin anew after his choice to attend military school this summer. It was a challenging decision for him --and me. Knowing he would miss the SRA swim team banquet and JRAC champs was almost enough to make him stay home but his desire to be the best he can at Collegiate drove him to realize that he might need a little change up in his life. I believe he has enjoyed the independence and chance to be who he is outside of others' shadows, illnesses and babyhood. Unfortuately Frazer and I will miss seeing him today. August 7th. I am looking forward to seeing him!

P Daddy as he was called by the SRA swim coaches rocks. He sings. He loves his cats. He swims. He hits the baseball. But the stinker does not love his reading. He asked to repeat first grade and frankly the school and his parents felt it is necessary. But what is not love about being with these same wonderful women this year? He feels confident and good about his choice. He has had a few friends ask him why, he said that he wanted to and he is just not ready for second grade. Well, out of the mouths of babes -- or seven year olds.